This excursion happened the morning of Saturday, 7 March 2020, in Telluride, Colorado. It started around 6:20am local time. The weather was cold, around 30˚F, and was mostly sunny with very few clouds. The sun was providing some light, but was not yet in full effect over the surrounding mountains yet. There was very little to no wind to speak of. I was located on a path next to a beaver pond and some condos. I was moving between various groves of trees along the path. There were no other people out that I could see during my excursion. I also could not get any good pictures on this excursion, but was able to get a few good audio recordings of birds’ calls.
While on my excursion, I didn’t really see any birds moving/flying around. Pretty much all the birds I encountered I could only hear, and not see. When I approached a tree where I believed I heard a bird singing from, I still could not see it. The birds I heard seemed to be in living coniferous trees. On my path, I did not come across any snags, so I didn’t get a chance to see any birds in any snags. Although I was looking for snags as well as birds, the only trees I saw were all living, with pine, spruce, and aspen trees mostly. I think the birds which I heard really only were in coniferous trees because they are the only trees with needles/leaves at this time of year. I think the birds use those needles and leaves to maintain their body heat in the frigid winter air in the elevation.
I also noticed that there seemed to be more birds that were actively singing as time went on. I think this might be because the air was continually warming up as the sun shed more and more light on the area, and the birds were waking up. Since nighttime is the coldest part of the day, I think the birds sleep during that time to maintain body heat and not spend too much energy warming themselves up when the temperature is the coldest. The birds I heard could also have been feeding, but I am not sure because I couldn’t see any of them. I’m guessing that those coniferous trees, as well as insulating heat, could also provide some food for the birds, with berries, insects, etc. This is probably different in warmer seasons, where the birds could hunt for food in more open spaces, with less or no snow on the ground. The ground now is completely covered in snow, which restricts the birds from hunting for food on or in the ground. The snow on the ground could also provide easier sight of these birds from predators.

I walked around Willowbrook Park in Staten Island, New York. It was a sunny, beautiful day at 55 degrees to walk around the park. I walked specifically around the lake and snapped photos of what I saw. I saw an interesting fungi early on. I saw some moss throughout the ground as well. There were many birds out and about today, as I saw many mallards, gulls, and Canada Geese throughout. The mallards and geese were both feeding on the ground and peacefully swimming in the lake. There were more ducks and geese next to a stream near the lake. I even saw a Snow Goose next to all the Canada goose. I recommend seeing all the wildlife when the weather is nice like it was for me.

This morning we have reached precisely 4,500 observations of exactly 700 species! Very cool work! By contrast, neighboring Sam McDonald County Park, host to two bioblitzes, is not even at 500 species. Keep on visiting and recording!

I spent February in and around the Enonkishu Conservancy, Mara region, Kenya. We set up an iNaturalist project so that interested people can follow wildlife of that area. Enonkishu, with their by-line of 'Last Line of Defence' is the northernmost of the Mara conservancies, backing onto agricultural land, and with cattle and wildlife the management focus. Due to spectacular rains, grass was high, and wildlife in all its forms was prolific.

I took a walk through Pine Hill Lakes Park today. I walked through a trail that followed a creek as it descended into a heavily forested area. The past couple of days were sunny and bright, but it rained overnight and was cold today, especially given the wind chill. It also lightly snowed for the entire duration of my walk. Walking through the trail, there was a thick layer of mud pretty much everywhere, and some parts of the trail were even flooded. Despite the cold, there was a diverse set of plant and fungal life, especially among the shorter plants. It was difficult to appreciate the diversity of some of the taller trees, as they were still leafless and bare. Animal life was scarce as well, outside of a few birds flying about chirping. It was hard to get a good picture of the birds given their brown color that blended in with the thick cluster of leafless branches everywhere. Walking along the creek, however, I saw plenty of small, empty mussel shells. They resembled small clams and were all white in color. Coming back in a few weeks or months when it's a lot warmer would probably allow for better observations of all life in this area.

Thank you very much for participating in our first ever Mini-BioBlitz! We're hoping to make this a bigger event during a more lively time of year. Your participation is a valuable contribution towards making this happen!

Keep an eye out for future events at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge!

@finatic
@hikingsandiego
@milliebasden
@docprt
@patsimpson2000
@heatherstevens
@sandiegomike
@naturenate
@mikethebirder
@spifferella
@jim_carretta
@richbreisch
@bonnienickel
@klyle161
@quercus_elizabeth
@carrotpeople
@lglevanik
@sulavanderplank
@rachall

A North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Count will be on April 11, 2020 (weather permitting).
The count is centered at Salt Creek Recreational Center in Chula Vista (near Otay Lakes).
With an 8-mile radius, this area includes R. Jamul, SD National Wildlife Refuge (R. San Diego),
Sweetwater Reservoir, Sweetwater Regional Park, and Otay Region.

You can find this count on:

https://www.naba.org/counts/count_circles.html

under: "Southwest San Diego County, CA"

If you or any of your friends are interested, please let me know by the end of March. Also, your level of expertise with butterflies so I can match experts with novices. No nets will be used,
just binoculars and lenses. This is the first time that a NABA count has been conducted in San Diego city limits in
a while (if ever), so it should be fun.
We will be meeting at Salt Creek Recreation Center in Chula Vista at 9am. All levels welcome from beginner to expert!

Facebook page:

https://m.facebook.com/events/2552625588395603?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2298%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=98

Это один из самых популярных запросов весной и летом. Люди любопытны и тянутся к знаниям. Это прекрасно! Google хорошо и чётко индексирует журнал нашего проекта. Давайте воспользуемся этим, чтобы указать желающим короткую дорожку в правильном направлении. 1. Интересно, что современных статей в интернете, которые дают ответ на этот вопрос нет, а про самое популярное в мире приложение iNaturalist (больше 1 млн скачиваний в Google Play) вообще нет ни слова. Ссылки почему-то ведут на менее популярные приложения. 2. Попробуем это исправить. Находим приложение iNaturalist и устанавливаем его. Это займет пару минут, не больше. Вы в нём будете автоматически зарегистрированы по гугло-профилю, но можно выбрать и другой мейл или учётку Фейсбука. Разберётесь. 3. Чтобы узнать точное название встреченного растения, нажимаем на белый плюсик в зелёном кружке справа внизу. У меня уже 20 000 "наблюдений". Именно наблюдениями за живой природой вам и предстоит заниматься, вооружившись этим приложением. 4. Открывается маленькая менюшка: можно сразу его сфотографировать в природе, а можно, сидя дома в кресле, загрузить фотографию (или запись птичьей трели) из памяти телефона. Я выбираю пункт "Выбрать изображение". 5. У меня в памяти смартфона мать-и-мачеха (кто же её не знает!) и непонятные вечнозелёные листочки, снятые несколько раз подряд в соседнем парке. Загружаем все фотографии этого непонятного растения сразу, выделяя галочкой. 6. Нажимаем на надпись "Что вы видели?", и искусственный интеллект приложения задумывается. Секундочку! И вот он уверенно говорит, что это барвинок, а точнее барвинок малый (Vinca minor). 7. Но это не всё. Удовлетворив своё любопытство, можно помочь учёным в сборе данных о биоразнообразии Земли. Приложение уже записало координаты фото, дату и время съёмки. Сам я дописал "в парке образует сплошной покров". Осталось нажать на галочку в правом верхнем углу и... 8. ...и у меня уже 20 001 наблюдение! В мире же почти 1 млн человек что-то грузит на iNaturalist. Все вместе мы сделали 32 млн наблюдений 250 тыс. видов растений и животных. Именно поэтому самообучающаяся нейронная сеть почти не делает ошибок в определении. 9. У каждого наблюдения есть своя страничка. Она видна как в приложении, так и на сайте inaturalist.org. Эти данные используются учёными в самых разных исследованиях - их может выгрузить с сайта любой желающий! 10. Все эти фотографии регулярно проверяют эксперты-ботаники. Они могут подтвердить мнение искусственного интеллекта или высказать своё более точное суждение. iNaturalist - это целый мир. Сюда можно загружать фотонаблюдения растений и животных, использовать приложение и загрузку больших архивов через сайт, общаться с экспертами и организовывать свои проекты. Присоединяйтесь, читайте в интернете о возможностях iNaturalist и отправляйтесь на природу! Поверьте, Вы теперь знаете всё, что растёт и ползает у вас на пути! Если кто-то хочет ещё что-то рассказать людям, которые в первый раз слышат об iNaturalist, не стесняйтесь писать комментарии! Репосты и нехитрое копирование этого материала всячески приветствуется.

2020 Oke Critter Crawl 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Fun Run
Want to get out and enjoy your public lands and get a little exercise at the same time?? Run or walk the Oke Critter Crawl 5K/1-mile Fun Run on Saturday May 9! The route will be along the refuge's Swamp Island Drive, giving participants an opportunity to see a beautiful portion of the refuge while getting in shape.

Can't make the race on May 9, but still want to participate in the fun? Select the Virtual Race Option to sign up and complete your own virtual race. The best part about virtual races is that you can complete your 5K or 1 Mile Fun Run at your own pace, anytime you like! Sign up TODAY!

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07egvdakp5b7d7afb0&oseq=&c=&ch=

Так как я по традиции забыла настроить дату на фотоаппарате, а точнее, помнила о ней на учёбе и забыла дома, приходится писать.
Встали в девять и вышли где-то через полчаса. Вернулись в половину четвёртого.
Пока шли по узкоколейке видели ворона и больших синиц, сразу после места, где дорога пересекает ручей, нашли токующего поползня, он уже выбрал себе место для дупла, возможно, в прошлом году он гнездился там же. Видели самку, она прилетела на тот же остов дерева, где пел самец у дупла, только на его верхушку, посидела немного и полетела дальше. Самец нас видел, конечно, но не особо обращал внимание. Там же пролетели чижи, но в полёте сейчас снимать почти невозможно. Также были сойки, но одна улетела, а другая села в ёлках и опять же было невозможно её там снять. На меня и объектив садились какие-то мухи, но я их не видела, их снял Саша.
При входе в лес через ручей нашла первых для меня в этом году московок.
У озера пока никого нет, слышали больших чаек, но не видели, слышали кого-то поющего совсем в конце тропинки, но опять же не видели. На обратном пути нашли кричащего зелёного дятла. Там же Саша видел какого-то грызуна.

Acerca de las identificaciones

https://www.argentinat.org/blog/31412-acerca-de-las-identificaciones

Researchers have named a new deep-sea crustacean species found to contain plastic particles, Eurythenes plasticus, to highlight pollution after discovering it in the deepest waters on the planet, the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.

"Plastic waste exports frequently end up in Southeast Asia, where waste management is often insufficient or non-existent. Because most of the plastic waste cannot be recycled, it will often get burned or dumped at repositories instead. From there it finds its way into rivers and, ultimately, into the ocean. Once in the water, plastic waste breaks apart into micro plastics and spreads through the ocean where it is ingested by marine animals such as E. Plasticus."

Read more:
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2020/03/eurythenesplasticus/

Друзья, у нас на счетчике 5500 наблюдений. Очередные 500 наблюдений были сделаны за 3 месяца холодного сезона.
У нас практические стабильная десятка лидеров по количеству наблюдений:
1 @lenatara 1 415
2 @katerina_kashirina 793
3 @naturalist16000 523
4 @melodi_96 421
5 @epikhin 275
6 @andreytikhonov 211
7 @cambala 168
8 @dmitrysvobodin 85
9 @naturalist7636 70
10 @anatoliy_bondarenko 59
Незначительно меняется картина по числу видов:
1 @lenatara 687
2 @katerina_kashirina 414
3 @melodi_96 258
4 @naturalist16000 214
5 @epikhin 209
6 @cambala 145
7 @andreytikhonov 131
8 @dmitrysvobodin 74
9 @naturalist7636 59
10 @nadya9 56

Интересно, что в Топ-10 наиболее наблюдаемых видов попали охраняемые растения: Можжевельник Дельтовидный (40 наблюдений), Можжевельник Высокий (36 наблюдений), Пион Тонколистный (31 наблюдение), Фисташка Туполистная (30 наблюдений).

Впереди весна, весь полуостров уже покрыт подснежниками и крокусами, и мы ждем новых наблюдений и достижений.

It’s still winter! Discuss how some of the species you observe utilize aspects of evolution and ecology to survive this season: What are these birds doing to produce or retain body heat? How are the birds budgeting their time (i.e. feeding/resting/breeding/sleeping)? What are they eating and/or hunting for? How might their diet be different in other seasons? Where (specifically) on the property might various species overnight?

Mini Activity- Snag Watch: Dead snags are one of the most important components of a resident bird’s winter habitat. As you commence your bird walk, list or map each dead tree (a.k.a. snag) you pass, keeping an eye out for cavities (i.e. holes). Over the course of your walk, ruminate on the relationships between snag size and cavity size. You may find a correlation between the abundance of snags/cavities and bird abundance, especially at dusk. Use a stick to rap on some snags with prominent cavities, and see what pops its head out to investigate (though don’t overdo it- be courteous to our winter wildlife). Why are snags important, and what species are most likely to utilize them?

- Over the course of the walk I must have hit at least 30 dead snags (there were much more than I was expecting) and not once did something come out of them

March 1, 2020
3:30-5:00PM
East Woods Natural Area, South Burlington, VT
25 degrees Fahrenheit, partly sunny, little to no wind
Wooded area (mostly tall, coniferous trees) with a stream running through one side of the park, hilly terrain

It was a moderately cold day, so not many birds were observed. The American Crows were seen flying more than the Black-capped Chickadees that spent most of their time safely tucked in the high branches of pine trees. Not only did the trees provide a place to nest and hide from predators, particularly those too large to navigate the dense branches, but they were very high up and gave the birds a good view of everything going on below such as families walking through, dogs, and even nosy ornithology students with cameras.

The Black-capped Chickadees budgeted their time in the trees, and they did not move much. By staying still and only moving when absolutely necessary, they were able to conserve energy for heat. I did not notice them eating, and I only saw two actually fly to a different tree. It is possible they feed more in the morning, rather than in the evening when they would want to conserve heat as it gets darker and colder overnight. I did not see any birds breeding, and it was hard to tell how many were resting because these birds were less noticeable. As mentioned above, the American Crows were flying around more, calling to others and looking for food. They seemed less concerned with conserving heat and energy.

I observed a few nests that birds had been using. There were also lots of cavities in dead trees. In one dead snag, a squirrel popped its head out, but there did not appear to be any birds spending the night in this particular tree. Several of the cavities appeared to have been made by a species of woodpecker, although none were observed on this walk. These cavities provide shelter from the elements such as wind and precipitation. They also provide protection from predators. By conserving energy rather than using it to stay warm, breed, or fly, the birds are more likely to survive the winter and stay healthy.

In other seasons, conserving heat is less important especially in the summer when the weather is warmer. From April to June, it is the Black-capped Chickadee's breeding season. During this time, energy will go toward reproduction more. For the American Crows, the breeding season is earlier, and they are often incubating eggs by April. This accounts for this species being more active during this time of year.

On March 5th 2020 at 3:00PM I went out on a 90 minute bird walk in the St. George town forest at the intersection of Route 2A and Route 116 in St. George, The weather was clear and sunny, with minimal wind. The temperature was a dry 46 degrees fahrenheit. Over the course of the bird walk I traveled through a mix of forest types including really succession mixed forest, dominant hardwood forests, and coniferous forests. While on this bird walk I paid particular attentions to snags and bird behavior. While looking at and analyzing snags I saw no signs of birds utilizing cavities within the snags. Very few of the snags I saw has characteristic marks of woodpeckers using them to feed. I hypothesis this might have to do with the type and or size of the dead trees. The majority of the snags in this area are particularly small coniferous snags which had been killed off by canopy shade. During this bird walk I also paid close attention to bird behavior in an attempt to observe which may be indicative of winter survival. I expected the amount of winter behavior I observed to be limited at the temperature was in the mid 40's. With the exception of turkeys, all the bird I observed on this bird walk were in early successional edge habitat, or conifer stands. I speculate the conifer stands are used for both cover and thermoregulation, as the dense branches on conifers tend to break wind, and hold temperature better than deciduous trees during leaf off periods. I believe birds were likely using edge habitat on the edges of conifer forests to feed. Honeysuckle, and juniper bushes still had berries holding on from last fall which could provide birds a food source during these late winter months. I did also notice the birds on this day were significantly more vocal than during my first walk. This could be do to the warm temperatures indicating spring is approaching which would increase bird activity as they look to select mates and nest. For 20-30 minutes of the 90 minute walk I slowly followed the wild turkey tracks I came across in an attempt to understand what they do while they are on the ground. I was particularly surprised at how their behavior differs in the winter than in the fall. Over the course of 20 minutes I didn't;t come across a single place where they scraped up snow or leaves to forage, rather it appears the only foraging they had done was nipping buds off low saplings, berries off available bushes, and blades of grass poking through the snow. Knowing that last year was a mast year, I was surprised they didn't spend time searching for acorns like they had done in the fall. The also seems to be more mobile in the winter. The covered approximately 1/2 a miles with little meandering or feeding which seems abnormal for what I have observed of turkey's in the spring and fall. I hypothesize they were headed in the direction of a conifer stand to roost in, which is on a north facing slope in a gulley shielded from the wind. I have observed them roosting in this area before. Due to the time of day I didn't observe any roosting behavior of small birds.

For my second field journal assignment, I decided to do some bird watching while I was visiting my family in Hamden, Connecticut. This took place on Saturday, February 29th, from 12:09pm to 1:39pm at Sleeping Giant State Park. It was around 37 degrees and partly cloudy, with occasional bouts of intense sunlight. Despite it being wintertime, there was not a single patch of snow to be seen - I have been told it has only snowed once in Connecticut all winter! Sleeping Giant is a mountain that I am very familiar with, and is characterized by its rugged topography, expansive clifftops, and several microclimate ecosystems. The ecosystem has since changed dramatically after an intense hurricane last year upturned hundreds of trees and displaced many species. This was my first time returning to the mountain after it had officially been restored and reopened. My expedition began about a half a mile up the main trail when it split off into the orange trail. This trail is usually very secluded from other visitors, and it takes you up a rocky and steep path through the mountain before opening up into a deciduous forest landscape, which then transforms into a large cliffside vista. Beyond this is another rocky slope that you must traverse uphill, and then abruptly downhill, with a small stream located at the bottom. The rest of the journey is characterized by a narrow path under a canopy of trees that winds you back down the mountain. The trail is roughly three miles total. In total, I observed 12 birds. This included three American Goldfinches, two American Robins, six House Sparrows, and a Red-tailed Hawk.

The first birds I saw were the three American Goldfinches - they were off to the left of the trail, feeding on a dense section of thistles. They were each perched on their own thistle, gently swaying in the wind, as they plucked consistently at the seeds. All three of them were in their winter plumage, a bleak brown body with black and white wings. For this reason I was unable to tell which were female and which were male. In terms of evolutionary traits that help these birds survive the winter, I had read somewhere that Goldfinches will commonly burrow themselves under the snow for the night in order to retain heat. Unfortunately, as I mentioned previously, there was no snow to be seen in Connecticut! But it was also not very cold on this day, so I do not think burrowing would have been necessary. Another way this species keeps warm is through their winter plumage - these feathers are much denser than their summer feathers which helps with insulation. Visually, however, I was not able to see this characteristic.

I did not see another bird until I reached the flat deciduous forest area - I immediately noticed the bright orange and black plumage of two American Robins scavenging on a shrub that contained a mysterious red berry. However, just moments before there were several more robins - as I hiked into this area, my presence must have startled 4-6 birds that immediately took off into the forest. I assume they were robins as well, but I did not get a close enough look. These types of fruit-bearing trees/shrubs are common food sources for robins in the winter, but in the warmer months I have seen them instead on the forest floor, eating worms and other miscellaneous insects. By adapting to the changing food availability in the winter, they are able survive in colder climates. The robins ate their fill for some time before another hiker came along, startling them just as I had. They took off into the pine trees nearby so I was still able to observe them. There they sat together; several times they puffed out their feathers so that they looked like little cotton balls, almost twice their size. I believe this was a method of retaining heat - they trapped the air inside their feathers to insulate their bodies. A little further into the forest I began to hear the familiar chirping of several sparrows. It took my eyes a few minutes to find them but sure enough, several yards away were six House sparrows sitting on various branches in a pine tree. I assumed they would fly away if I tried to get any closer, so instead I left them be. They were sitting in pairs, which I guessed to be their mating pairs. Some of them were puffed up like the robins, again to preserve heat. Although there is little sun availability in this part of the mountain, there are still occasional patches of sunlight. The sparrows were definitely utilizing this to their advantage, sitting strategically in areas where a small ray of light was shining. This is another example of them keeping warm.

As I continued on with my hike, I came to the cliff face. This is basically a very large flat rock, maybe 20x20 feet, that is tilted at a 45 degree angle, overlooking the town of Hamden. You get a very clear view of the sky, and the sun warms the rock, creating an ideal resting spot. I rested here for some time before seeing the next bird species flying high in the sky: a Red-tailed Hawk. Or at least what I think was a Red-tailed Hawk; its tail was indeed red! It is not unusual to see hawks in Hamden; I often see them circling the park near my house. However, I never paid any attention to what species I was seeing until now. The hawk was gliding at an angle, making a large arc over the forest floor below. I believe it was looking for or honing in on its next prey. Since it’s wintertime, it must be more difficult for carnivorous birds to find prey since all the little mice and bunnies are tucked away instead of leisurely roaming the forest. I would expect these types of birds to migrate somewhere warmer during the winter for better food availability.

Unfortunately towards the end of my hike there were more people, so I did not see any more birds after this. In terms of how many snags or dead trees I saw during this hike, as I mentioned before, this area is just recovering from a disastrous hurricane. Therefore, as you might imagine, there were dozens of dead trees everywhere. In fact, I could not go more than 10 feet without seeing one. I did notice several holes in these snags, ranging in various sizes, but upon investigation they seemed to be vacant. I guessed that since it was not particularly cold out, birds were not in need of such shelter at the moment. I am sure that once dusk falls, some of these species will seek refuge in these holes to rest through the cold night. Snags are important because they make great shelters, but also provide a rich ecosystem of insects and fungi as they decay. Cavities are often drilled into these trees by woodpeckers, either looking for food or for a place to shelter. Once they are done with these cavities they move on, leaving behind a perfect habitat for another species, including other birds or small mammals. Sadly I did not spot any woodpeckers during my trip.

Overall, for how secluded the area I was hiking in was, I expected to see a few more species. However, it is likely that the sound of my huffing and puffing and my boots snapping twigs sent many birds flying before I got the chance to see them. Additionally, I was traveling on a path, not traversing through the dense foliage, so I expect there were many more bird species that were not hanging around near the trail.

I started my bird walk when I arrived home in Northern New Jersey. The walk started at 4:30 pm and lasted until 6:00 pm. It was overcast with low visibility and was drizzling. The temperature outside was cold, but there was little to no wind. There were not many birds out in the open, but many calls and songs could be heard from shrubs and trees. Two areas were walked through. One was a wooded wetland area with an acre pond. The other was a suburban street lined with houses on both sides with a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees on the lawns.

There were few birds observed on this excursion. I first started by a pond hoping to see waterfowl in this type of weather. I did see a V-formation of 6 Canada Geese fly overhead, flying in the southern direction. Songs could be heard from the trees but no other birds could be located. I then ventured onto the street and spotted a small flock of House Sparrows flying in between trees. As I walked the street, more songs and calls were heard. They were hard to identify as a single species. After some time, I heard a few caws that were easily identifiable as coming from an American Crow. I could not locate where the crow(s) was though.

It was not surprising that it was hard to locate the birds. The weather was not ideal and was particularly cold. In the winter, it is usual for songbirds to seek out cavities in trees to maintain warmth. In the case of the House Sparrows, they usually seek shelter in cavities and dense foliage. The songs and calls I heard were most likely from birds that sought shelter from the rain and cold in the dense foliage of the cedar trees and shrubs. They also tend to huddle in flocks to maintain warmth, which is why it was normal to see a flock of House Sparrows in the winter. The Canada Geese were flying and being active, which is very different than the House Sparrows that were hunkered down for the cold. The geese have special adaptations to stay warm in the winter, like easily replenishable fat reserves and dense layers of insulating feathers. Canada Geese eat grasses and aquatic plants, as well as the occasional insect and fish. The unfrozen pond served as a great winter residence for them. The American Crow can survive the winter months by roosting with many other crows. This is a similar technique to that the House Sparrow uses.

Throughout the bird walk, I took note of snags in the area. There were not many on the street, but 4 were found in the wooded pond area. None of the snags had prominent cavities in them. I knocked lightly with a stick on each snag to see if I could find any birds that were roosting or huddling for warmth. Nothing came out of the snags though. I assume that if I revisited the snags later into the day, I would find a few songbirds staying in the snags overnight. These snags are very important to nonmigratory songbirds because they provide shelter and allows them to live in colder climates.

List of Birds Seen/Heard:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 3 House Sparrows
- American Crow (only heard and exact amount of individuals is unknown)

On this nature walk, I explored the Parc du Boisé-de-Saint-Sulpice. Walking through this park everyday on my way to the metro, I never noticed how many species and tiny organisms lived in these woods. The whole park seemed to be gray, brown, and coated in snow with no signs of life or color. However, I noticed that there were many types of fungi and lichens living on the branches, trunks, and fallen leaves that were able to survive despite the harsh winter conditions. Taking a closer look at all the trees that appeared to be exactly the same from a distance, I noticed that they weren't completely barren and leafless at all. Most of the trees were sprouting buds and thin sprouts that were slightly red or green, and some trees further in the park even retained their green leaves throughout the winter.

On Sunday, March first, I was visiting my parents in Boston and went on a bird observational walk with my mom from 10 am until 12 pm. It was a very sunny day with the temperature at around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. My mom and I drove to Fresh Pond in Cambridge, MA, which is s fairly large pond surrounded by a heavy foot and bike traffic path. There is also a golf course connected to the path. We began our walk in this golf course and came across a Northern Mockingbird and an American Robin engaging in a sort of fight, resulting in the American Robin leaving the area and the Northern Mockingbird staying in its territory. Northern Mockingbirds eat insects in the summer and rely more on berries in the winter. They are also very territorial of their foraging and hunting areas. This particular bird most likely wanted to protect its foraging land from other birds in order to make sure it is able to feed enough. In the winter, insects are often harder to find because of the cold temperatures and hard grounds, so there is a lot of pressure to find food, which may have led to the inter-species territorial battle I observed. As we continued to walk through the mostly tree-less golf course, we came across the songs of two Mourning Doves. We spotted one flying back and forth between a dirt mound and a small, lone tree. The bird seemed to be scavenging for seeds in the mound of dirt.

As we walked through the golf course, we came across a small pond that waa connected by a creek to the main, much larger pond. This pond was surrounded by tall grass and a few trees. We noticed a fallen tree leaning over the pond on which a Great Blue Heron stood. This is interesting because often, Great Blue Herons migrate a bit south in the winter in order to stay in warmer areas and be able to find food in winter months. This particular bird may spend its summers a bit more north, perhaps in Vermont! Great Blue Herons hint aquatic life, which is why it was located near the water. In the pond, there was a small group of Hooded Mergansers and a larger group of Mallards. As shown in the pictures observations attached, some of the ducks had their bills buried in their feathers. This protects their apteria from the cold, harsh winter air. This also highlights the fact that they are sending a lot of time resting, which conserves body energy and makes them more capable of maintaining high body temperatures in the cold weather. I noticed a Hooded Merganser diving for food in the pond. The legs of these birds remain warm in the cold water due to the counter-current exchange of the blood flow that takes place. Hooded Mergansers eat mostly aquatic life, so the bird was probably searching for prey. It is very important for birds to eat in the winter because they require so much energy in order to stay warm. This can be difficult for some birds, whose diets switch from insect-based to more berry-based, like the Northern Mockingbird. Because of this difficulty, some birds allocated their time differently in the winter and rest more during the day to preserve their energy for heat.

Throughout our walk, I noticed multiple snags of different sizes. In one particular area, there were about 5 snags next to each other that were also surrounded by bush area. In this area, I observed 4 Black-Capped Chickadees. These Black-Capped Chickadees most likely spend the night in high covered areas, like the bush I observed them in or holes in snags, in order to maintain warmer body heat. In order to converse energy, the Chickadees most likely lower their body temperatures as well. Snags are very important because they provide homes for many bird species, like owls and woodpeckers. The cavities in snags provide a shield from the cold weather of the winter, which is why many birds reside in them. They also are a source for food for some species of birds, like Pileated Woodpeckers and Brown Creepers.

School's out! So, I took my friend out to North Beach on a chilly late afternoon bird walk. It was 31 degrees with overcast conditions when we started at 4:30 pm. North Beach has a line of trees leading towards the beach along the road and a few trees closer to the water. Rock point, a church property located adjacent to North Beach, has a few forested trails that connect to the beach so we wandered down one of those for 30 minutes.

My friend spotted the first birds on our walk. There were 3 visible small birds perched on the tops of the trees lining the path from the road toward the beach. I couldn't ID them at first but when they started singing I was able to ID them as Song Sparrows. These birds weren't moving around and sat in the top of the trees for about 5 minutes. There were a lot of acorns on the ground surrounding the trees. So, the birds were most likely resting in the treetops which were close to seeds that the birds could find on the ground. Even though the birds were vulnerable to the slight breeze and cold temperature their high body temperature allows them to stay outside in colder weather without being as affected. The birds also probably had their wings tucked close to their body to trap heat.

Walking down the beach we didn't notice any birds our first time down. There were a few snags close to the beach. Most of them had larger holes or breakages that were close to the ground which wouldn't be a good spot for a bird as predators have better access. As the beach connected with a forested area, we began our walk through the woods. The woods were fairly quiet besides the squirrels making chirps that could easily be bird calls. Even though we didn't see any birds in the heavily wooded areas we could see several snags that had multiple small circular holes toward their tops. These smaller holes away from predators would be a good nesting area for multiple birds as the birds would be protected from the harsh winds and cold and they can group closely to share heat. Along with the smaller holes, some snags had larger holes which could have been from a woodpecker looking for bugs to eat. Once, we reached a clearing off of the wooded path we saw a gull and two unknown black birds flying above the trees. They moved to fast for me to ID.

As it was getting darker outside we walked back toward the beach. On the beach, we heard the distinct call of the Canada Goose. Getting closer to the sound we could see that there were two geese and three Mallards resting in the lake. Their feet stay warm in the frigid water of the lake because of the counter-current blood exchange that happens between the warm blood heading towards the feet and the cold blood returning to the heart. I was glad to see the geese and ducks while we were leaving the beach as the woods had been less lively than expected. In total, we saw 11 birds and were able to ID 8 of them before we left North Beach at 6:15 pm.

The sun was out, and the weather was warm. I took a nice walk through Prospect Park West with my brother. The reason, other than to complete an iNaturalist walk, was that he admitted he does not remember the last time he was out in nature. We trekked a small hill inside the park and wondered how the trees would look like in the summer. Along the way, we passed by a cemetery. Part of me hoped to visit the inside because I saw some unusual plants, but it was off-limits.

For my second field journal entry, I went to Derway Island in Burlington, VT which I had never been to before. More specifically, the bike path along the waterfront. Around this area, it is mostly a riparian forest. It was about 40 degrees outside and I was there from around 2:00-3:00 PM with my friend Addy. We saw a lot more species this time than last time including, Canada Geese, Mallards, Ring-billed Gulls, a Black-capped Chickadee, and a beautiful Bald Eagle. We also heard at least one Pileated Woodpecker.
In order to keep warm I believe these birds surviving throughout the winter can insulate themselves. They can do this by fluffing out their feathers and creating air pockets so that air is trapped. Birds also enjoy huddling together to keep warm and also shiver like humans to generate body heat. Since usual food that birds eat are scarce in the winter, they tend to eat more high calorie foods in the winter. Bird-feeders are very helpful at this time of year. In other seasons, birds tend to eat more of berries and insects which are much harder to find in the winter time.
At night, small forest birds (like the Black-capped Chickadee) may sleep in tree cavities or snags while others like song birds may find a spot on a branch that is sheltered from different types of weather. I believe Woodpeckers also find tree cavities to sleep in or make their own and Mallards sleep on the water. Birdhouses are also proven to be used by several different birds during the frigid winter season to conserve body heat.

03/06/2020, 4:30 PM, Stoneleigh-Burnham Riding School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, partly cloudy, about 40 degrees, wind speed= 5 mph North, dry field next to pond.
As I was driving down from Vermont to Connecticut, I noticed a lot of Canada Geese migrating north. I found it odd that they were migrating this early in the year. However, it has been unseasonably warm recently, especially in New England. It is possible that due to the warmer temperatures, the geese are confused, thinking that it is later in the year than it is. This could be problematic if it gets cold again, and the geese are up in Vermont. They are not used to being in the snow for long periods, which is why they migrate south.
When I stopped in Greenfield to get gas, I noticed many geese at the Stoneleigh-Burnham Riding School. When I stopped to observe their behaviors, I noticed that some of the geese were standing on one leg. This helped them preserve their body heat, since they do not have feathers on their legs. Some of the other geese were laying down, which would further help conserve their body heat, because they do not have either of their legs exposed to the cold.
When I kept walking around the campus of the Stoneleigh-Burnham School, I noticed a couple of robins in a neighboring field. They did not seem to be as effected by the cold as the robins did. One of them puffed their feathers on their chest very briefly, but other than that they seemed to carry on their normal activities. The robins I observed were in a bush on the edge of a forest and a field. They seemed to be looking for food. This would differ from their behavior in the spring because in the spring and summer, they would probably be looking in the fields for worms and insects. These creatures would be much more sustainable to eat because they would provide more nutrients and proteins.
It is very interesting to observe the difference in bird behaviors in the winter and the other seasons. Not only do they need to warm themselves but they also have to find different foods to eat and different ways to harvest their energy.

Date: Tuesday 3/3/2020, 3:45-5:30p
Location: Winooski Gorge Park (44°29'19.7"N 73°09'45.6"W)
Weather: very overcast, with a high chance of rain. Mid 40s, a warm day compared to the past few weeks/months.
Habitat: Largely coniferous forest at the top of a gorge. Small patch of forest, close enough to a main road to hear fairly heavy traffic. Still a large enough patch to house deer, ran into many tracks and droppings.

This walk was full of bird calls but very scarce on bird sightings. The walk started in a very clear conifer stand, and continued through other stands of varying density. There were also a few overlooks over a gorge with a view of the water, but the lack of a shore and the fact that the water was frozen seemed to discourage waterfowl. This may have been different during the summer; the trees and tops of the gorge likely could have created good perches for ospreys or other fish-eating birds. From these outlooks, I could see hordes of crows flying overhead, which we learned is a very common winter behavior for corvids. They tend to form murders in winter to maximize survival chances, but these groups cause food to deplete quickly, causing the birds to move often.

In the forested area, it seemed that bird activity was pretty low. I heard a lot of various sparrow, finch, and warbler calls, but had difficulty identifying most of them. These birds, however, stayed very hidden throughout my walk. I found a couple of black-capped chickadees because of their curiosity, but nothing else. There were many chickadee alarm calls, so maybe the other birds were being cautious, avoiding the big scary bipedal mammal. Alternatively, maybe minimizing foraging time during the winter could help birds keep their energy demands low, so perhaps some of the birds had already finished their foraging and returned to their roosts. Especially for birds that cache food, it may not take long to forage if they are able to remember where they left their stores. When observing the chickadees, I noticed that they tended to stay in coniferous trees that were well foliated, avoiding bare trees. This could be a common strategy for birds in winter, as it helps them remain hidden from predators when the deciduous trees drop their leaves.

For the snag watch I noted 5 different trees of various sizes. I was unsure about the definitions of snags and cavities. I just noted obviously dead or fallen trees as snags, and counted any hole that seemed large enough for a bird as a cavity. The list of snags and characteristics is as such:
1. medium sized conifer snag, about 65 inches in diameter at breast height. Not decomposed enough to lose much structural stability. Contained a variety of medium sized cavities, likely from a pileated woodpecker.
2. small conifer snag, about 10 inches in diameter ABH. Lacked any major signs of decomposing. Small cavity present near the base, but not signs of any inhabitants.
3. large conifer snag, about 85 inches in diameter ABH. showed some signs of decomposing, had lost all but a few major branches. Contained a variety of medium and large sized cavities, likely from a pileated woodpecker.
4. large conifer snag, about 80 inches in diameter ABH. This one was fallen, but didn’t contain any significant cavities that I could find. I wonder if woodpeckers dislike fallen trees.
5. large snag, pretty much just a tall stump at this point. Likely was a conifer, likely about 50 inches in diameter ABH. This one contained many large cavities, but again no signs of inhabitants.

Snags likely provide a nesting place for many small bird species in these type of woods, based on the snags that I was on my walk. These places of refuge are probably even more beneficial in the winter, when cover from harsh conditions may be more hard to find.

Thanks for contributing observations to Birds of the Sacramento Region!

Here is a list of the more notable rare birds seen in February 2020 in Sacramento and the neighboring counties.
I'm also including a few from March that were seen more recently.
Included are links for observations of the rare birds (one per species). The accounts will be cited below.

Yolo County
Greater Scaup ------------------------------------------------------ Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39339954
Whimbrel ---------------------------------------------------------- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Ruff ----------------------------------------------------------------- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Glaucous Gull ---------------- ----------------------- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, Davis WTP
Slaty-backed Gull ------------------------------------------------------------------ Davis WTP
Lesser Black-Backed Gull ----------------------------------------- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
Costa's Hummingbird ---------------------------------------------------- Torrey Street, Davis
Dusky Flycatcher ----------------------------------------------------------- North Davis Farms
Worm-eating Warbler ----------------------------------------------------- Willowbank Ditch
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35058600
Swamp Sparrow ---------------------------------------------------- Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37839740
Harris's Sparrow ---------------------------------------------------- Montgomery Place, Davis

Sacramento County
White-winged Dove ------------------------------------------------- Meiss Road, Sacramento
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38030094
Allen's Hummingbird ------------------------------------------------ Meiss Road, Sacramento
Vermilion Flycatcher ----------------------------------------------------------- Tanzanite Park
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37639137
Pacific-slope Flycatcher -------------------------------------------- Cosumnes River Preserve
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37271888
Gray Flycatcher ----------------------------------------------------- Cosumnes River Preserve
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37780828
Pacific Wren ----------------------------------------------------------------- Willowbank Ditch
Clay-colored Sparrow ---------------------------------------------------------- Tanzanite Park
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38103375

Solano County
Vesper Sparrow -------------------------------------------------- English Hills Road, Vacaville
Sagebrush Sparrow ------------------------------------------------------------ Robinson Road

Placer County
Short-eared Owl ------------------------------------------------------------------- Waltz Road

note:
some of the observations will be from a different time period but are of the same bird continuing over months

Accounts:
@yerdy
@birdron
@naturecandids
@brodiaea_max
@dpom
@mattk561

What can we do better on this project? Comments and suggestions are welcome!

Walking through Shelburne Bay Park on Thursday March 5th, I was able to identify some birds and observe their behaviors in their natural environment. Because it is still winter I was able to witness behaviors that are specific to the season, the weather was roughly 40 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny with minor clouds. The path that I was walking through included semi-vegetated and forested areas which provided a good opportunity to see a diverse group of birds. My walk and time spent observing lasted a little over an hour and a half from 12:20-1:57.
Throughout my time on the paths of Shelburne Bay Park I was able to identify an ok amount of birds however many of the species were heard not seen as I was able to identify a number of birds by calls or songs. I saw a number of Black-capped Chickadees (6) as well as heard and saw two separate pairs of Blue Jays (4). Towards the end of my walk I was able to identify a pair of Northern Cardinals (2) and what I believe to be a small group of European Starling, although I was not able to confidently identify them as such I will leave them out of my reported sightings. While walking I observed these birds behaviors, to gain a better understanding of the steps they take to survive during the winter.
The birds that I observed were all very active and flying around almost constantly, this is something that I found surprising because I expected them to be saving their energy to remain warm in the cold weather. However after doing research when I got home I saw that this is a strategy birds use to build up warmth in their bodies by staying active. As well when landing I noticed the Black-capped Chickadees had been fluffing their feathers, this insulates them better from the cold keeping warmth in. This makes sense to me as a strategy as I recall when seeing Northern Cardinals or Blue Jays at my feeder they seemed to be extra fluffy or larger than usual.
The activeness of these birds could as well be equated to time spent hunting or looking for food, the birds that I was able to identify spend their time looking for seeds, berrys or insects. I’m sure because of the weather they must have to spend more time looking for food as it is less available but in the more forested area of the paths I did see a lot more sources of food. During the summer seasons I’m sure they would have a much easier time finding berries and nuts. As well I read online when I got home that Black-capped chickadees along with many other birds stash food for the winter in preparation for the lack of food available. This intelligent strategy provided yet another reason to why I love Black-capped Chickadees.
When thinking about where these birds would spend their time sleeping overnight, I assumed that they would group in the more forested areas in the trees. This provided more shelter and maybe more warmth for them as well as protection from other birds. I noticed that it was hard for me to identify birds in the more forested areas even though I knew they were there based on calls and songs. The fact that I couldn’t find them provided me with evidence that it would be a much safer place to spend your time.
Overall this was a successful field trip and provided me with a lot of new knowledge and excitement to do it again. Shelburne Bay Park provided a diverse set of environments and along with it a diverse set of birds, I look forward to going there again as seasons change. I was not able to capture any pictures of birds or recordings as my phone died during the hike, I will make sure this doesn't happen next time when I go.

Observations:
Black-capped Chickadee x6
Blue Jay x4
Northern Cardinal x2
European Starling? x5

Date: 3/06/2020
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Location: Centennial Woods, Burlington, VT
Weather: Sunny with a bit of clouds, 36 degrees F, and very windy
Habitat: The riparian zone for centennial brook. The trees were mainly evergreens including pines, hemlock, and firs.

I wasn't able to find a lot of different birds. I did however find a lot of black-capped chickadees. The black-capped chickadees I saw were burrowing themselves into the needles of the evergreens. This is so they could stay out of the wind and retain some of their body heat.

I also found a group of European starlings at the top of a tree. I do not believe they were together to conserve body heat, but rather they were looking for food together. This would help the European starlings from not being prey for other birds, and it would also increase the chances that they find food because they have more eyes searching. I am assuming that they were looking for snags (for insects) or different fruits from plants. The European starlings could of also been looking for desirable tree buds to consume.

I did see many snags as I was on my bird walk. Most of the snags I saw were at least fifteen feet high and had a radius of 10 inches. The snags had holes throughout their entirety that lead in towards the center snag. The snags were scattered along the path I took, but when I spotted birds in trees, there was atleast one snag within my eyesight. I believe the reason for this is because the birds I spotted (black-capped chickadees and European starlings) both eat insects. The insects that they seek often are very abundant in these snags.

Snags are extremely important for wildlife overall, but especially for birds. These snags provide a large food source for several species of birds (e.g. brown creepers, white-breasted nuthatches, and woodpeckers). These bird species all feed on beetles, spiders, and ants that live right beneath the bark. The woodpeckers also go into the inner bark to feast on larvae and pupae.

Tuesday was a gorgeous day for a bird walk. The air was warm, about 50 degrees and the sun was out. There was little to no breeze and there was some moisture in the air. Since I walked in the middle of the day, I was not sure if I would see too many birds, but I was pleased with the chickadee and crow sightings at the golf course. The Burlington Country Club has a lot of white pines, and some mixed stand. The golf course runs between clusters of trees, so it's pretty much all edge habitat. Chickadees love it there, and they account for most of what I saw.
I noticed that the chickadees were very active, moving around a lot. I wonder if this helps them stay warm in the winter. They seemed to be looking for food for most of the time, and hopped around in the white pines. I am not sure what they eat in the winter. I did see insects at the base of one of the trees, a good sign that spring is on the way and migrators will be arriving soon. The chickadee's small body size I'm sure makes it challenging to stay warm. I imagine another reason for their hyperactivity is to avoid predators. I wonder if they also like to hang out in the pines because the pines keep their leaves all year, while other trees drop theirs, making them more visible to predators.
The other species I saw a lot of was the American crow. There were several that I saw over the course of the walk. The crows were pretty loud and tended to fly treetop to treetop. I noticed that unlike the chickadees constantly hopping around, the crows stand relatively put when they landed. I assume that they like to try to get out in the sun with their black feathers to stay warm. I saw them actively digging their bills into trees, dead and alive. The crows didn't hide like the chickadees either, they perched up in the open and called again and again.
Unfortunately I did not see too many snags. I did knock on a paper birch snag, but there was no one inside. I know that snags can be particularly useful for big birds when nesting. The bigger the bird, the bigger and stronger the nest needs to be, so I think in these cases, sleeping in a cavity is probably pretty helpful. Snags can also be a lot more protective from the wind and elements than a nest in a tree or on the ground.

March 5, 2020; 4:30 pm; East Woods Natural Area; cool and sunny weather; deciduous forest, surrounded by roads and highways

My walk began at 4:30pm. It was not quite dusk and still bright out, so I could already tell that I had come to early to see many birds. Also, the noise from the surrounding roads was quite loud, and combined with the sounds from the raging stream in East Woods, it was hard to hear many birds. However, early into my walk I heard crows calling and saw 5 fly overhead. They were soon followed by the songs of two chickadees singing back and forth to each other and a nondescript "chip" call, though I couldn't locate the source of any of them. Then, I saw some type of woodpecker, most likely a pileated woodpecker, fly through the canopy. I identified it by its distinct flying pattern, size, and one large patch of white under each wing. Later still, a small flock of Cananda geese flew by in the distance. They were not extremely vocal, though I heard at least one honk. I suspect that they were migrating back to Vermont, a behavior rooted in surviving the winter.
After these observations, I did not observe any more birds for a while, mostly due to constant sounds of traffic. I knocked on several snags, but nothing ever appeared, probably because it was still too early for them to return to the nest. Most of the snags I aw were large white pines, interspersed with different sized holes. The larger cavities were oblong, while the smaller ones were more circular. Later in my walk, I heard the calls of a woodpecker. It may have been the same one that I observed earlier, or a different one. Either way, the abundance of snags, each with many cavities, on top of my observations, indicates a considerable population of woodpeckers in the area.
Most of the birds that I observed seemed calculated in their behaviors. When they flew, they had a clear destination, and when not flying, not many birds spent energy singing or moving around. These are all adaptations to a winter in Vermont, even though it was a nice day for this time of year. Most birds were probably hunkering down to wait for the weather to be consistently warmer and their reliable food sources to return.